Dental retractors have been used in general dentistry for many years to keep the cheek away from a tooth or teeth, for tooth (teeth) extractions. They have also traditionally been used by orthodontists to prevent saliva from contacting a tooth or teeth when bonding metal bands and/or metal/ceramic brackets to the teeth. However, such retractors have limitations due to the following reasons: decreased comfort due to complex designs, limited visibility, and at the same time still allow saliva to contact teeth. This results in failure of cement adhesion, increases the likelihood of loose bands, broken brackets and/or fillings. This results in increased time and expense for orthodontists, dentists and the patients.
A dental lip retractor is disclosed in a Ghim U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,570. As disclosed, the retractor comprises a substantially U-shaped strip and an elongated handle. The U-shaped strip has a top edge and a bottom edge. Each of the edges form a substantially U-shape and wherein the U-shape formed by the bottom edge is smaller than the U-shaped formed by the top edge. The elongated handle has a distal end of the handle attached to the U-shaped strip at a substantially trough point of the U-shaped strip.
A more recent Fishburne, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 8,323,021 discloses a dental bilateral bite block of sheet material having a central body portion with attached wings capable of folding toward each other on each side of the central body portion. The wings of the bite block fold toward each other along fold lines adjacent the central body portion and provide a structure for propping the mouth of a patient open during a dental procedure. A mirrored surface may be placed on the central body portion for improved visibility. The bite block also holds or retracts the tongue and cheeks away from a work area.
The present invention can be used in general dentistry and in orthodontic procedures. It is believed that the retractors in accordance with the present invention will free up one of a dentist's or orthodontist's hands by eliminating the need for a handheld mirror and constant need for repositioning the handheld mirror.
In many cases, this should make a dentist or orthodontist more efficient, lead to more patients and larger profits as well as additional user time. For general dentists, the retractors in accordance with the present invention may be used for many different procedures.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and a potential commercial market for an improved dental retractor for maintaining a tooth or a plurality of teeth in a dry condition. It is believed that there is a need and a potential market for such devices because they protect a tooth or a plurality of teeth from being in contact with an inner portion of the patient's cheek and tongue. The invention can also be used by endodontist for root canals as well as by periodontist for surgical procedures.
The dental retractor in accordance with the present invention also provides an improved visual view of up to 5 or 6 teeth and enables an orthodontist or his or her assistant to have a clear view to bond metal or ceramic brackets to one or more teeth. Each bracket or band is cemented to a tooth and it is imperative that the surface of the tooth is dry in order to obtain a satisfactory bond between a band or bracket and a tooth. Therefore, it is very important that a tooth is not touched by the inside of a patient's mouth or tongue.
In addition, it is desirable to provide a comfortable retractor for a patient and to avoid the complex retractors of the prior art. Still further, it is desirable to provide a low cost device of minimal complexity.